Determinants of Democracy

Barro, Robert J. 1999. Determinants of democracy. Journal of Political Economy 107(S6): 158-183.

en_US

dc.identifier.issn

0022-3808

en_US

dc.identifier.uri

http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:3451297

dc.description.abstract

A panel study of over 100 countries from 1960 to 1995 finds that improvements in the standard of living predict increase in democracy, as measured by a subjective indicator of electoral rights. The propensity for democracy rises with per capita GDP, primary schooling, and a smaller gap between male and female primary attainment. For a given standard of living, democaracy tends to fall with urbnization and with a greater reliance on natrual resources. Democracy has little relation to country size but rises with the middle‐class share of income. The apparently strong relation of democracy to colonial heritage mostly disappears when the economic variables are held constant. Similarly, the allowance for these economic variables weakens the interplay between democracy and religious affiliation. However, negative effects from Muslim and non‐religious affiliations remain intact.